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11 Months to Sell a Home in Davis, CA
Not since the days of short sales that pretty much ended 8 years ago, I have never encountered such a difficult time to sell a home in Davis, CA. The sellers and I met in early March of last year; they were referred to me. Very nice people, and I sincerely wanted to help them receive top dollar for their home. Of course, part of the problem was they were certain they could get more for the home than I suggested.
Fortunately, they owned the home free and clear, and had invested, according to the seller, a few hundred thousand. They remodeled the kitchen, added a permitted sunroom and updated the back yard. The sellers really wanted to try a higher sales price based on their upgrades, and I agreed to give it a shot. Another agent might have refused the listing under those circumstances, but not this Sacramento Realtor.
My feeling is if I like the sellers, we get along, their happiness is of primary importance to me. We can argue all day about the price, but in the end, it is the seller who chooses. Not only that, but the City of Davis needs to complete an inspection, and the inspection for this house reflected about a dozen permit violations.
We went on the market in early April and began working on clearing the problems to gain the occupancy certificate. Many showings ensued and we held many open houses, but no offers.
One of the things I do for my clients is send buyer feedback. All of the feedback complained about the dark kitchen, the dark granite counters, they didn’t care for the sunroom and they didn’t like the back yard, plus many complained about the layout. Finally, the sellers agreed to lower the price.
Then agents in Davis began calling to inquire: what’s the deal with this Davis house? As I typically do when days on market seem lengthy, we pulled a new MLS number with a new listing to attract more attention. Plus, when we reset the days on market, it makes the listing more inviting to buyers.
Shortly after that, we received an offer and went into escrow. But the appraisal came in low. The buyers had already removed inspection contingencies, and the seller readily agreed to sell at the new appraised value. However, as soon as the sellers agreed to lower the price, the buyers decided it wasn’t low enough. They wanted to renegotiate instead. Who knows what makes people think this way?
These are the situations where a seller might wonder if it’s worth suing the buyers, but they really just wanted to sell a home in Davis. We cut the buyers loose.
Next set of buyers didn’t make it very far in escrow. I don’t even recall what their objection was or why they canceled. My job is to keep up the sellers’ spirits and to perform. I promised that I would find another buyer, a real buyer, a buyer who loves their home and will close escrow. But it would take one more price reduction, and the sellers agreed.
Sure enough, after we adjusted the price to where it should have been in the first place, we received a fast offer. We went into escrow about a week before Christmas. If this home had been priced where it needed to be last April, we would have received multiple offers. But the sellers did not want to do it at that time. Most agents would not work this hard to sell a home in Davis, but I will do it. Sometimes the only way to make sure a seller understands the market is to show it to them through the eyes of a lengthy listing. That is OK with me.
Because I will work on that house until it sells. I do not abandon my sellers nor get frustrated with them. Mrs. Seller told me yesterday that she was very pleased with my patience and upbeat attitude when we would speak. Mr. Seller said I was always calm, and was his rock throughout the sale process.
I was determined to sell a home in Davis in the timeframe that best suited my sellers. Not in the timeframe that best suited me. So while I sat dripping wet on the beach at Kahulu’u after snorkeling yesterday, I paused to think about these sellers, and how sincerely happy I am their home closed escrow on Friday, January 18th! We sold to real buyers this time, just like I promised.
Sorry, Too Late, Davis Home in Lake Alhambra Estates Pending
Talk about taking your time to buy a home in Lake Alhambra Estates. The buyer for this home first viewed the property about two months ago. All of this time they did not make an offer to purchase the home in Davis. Instead, they kept an eye on the home and its activity. We don’t know this for certain but the buyer might be moving family into this home, because it certainly has the room for extended family members. Our buyer is also doing a 1031 exchange, so they might have had to sell the other property first.
In addition to the four bedrooms, the first floor features an office, which would be a bedroom, too. That office is isolated from the other rooms. At one time, it was probably a formal living room, but Californians don’t really utilize formal living rooms anymore. It’s unused space if you don’t convert the room to another use. For example, our formal sitting area in our living room is used by the cats. Nobody else sits in that room.
This home in Lake Alhambra Estates also includes a remote family room that probably is not of much use, either. It’s a beautiful room with a gorgeous fireplace and wood mantle, but it’s also situated next to the enormous four-season room. So there are two areas in the home that could actually accommodate a couple more bedrooms on the first floor.
The remodeled kitchen offers plenty of space for the gourmet cook. Granite counters, ceramic flooring and an island, plus a pantry closet.
But the piece de résistance of this home in Lake Alhambra Estates is the back yard. Simply stunning. Featuring two waterfalls, a built-in outdoor kitchen, although the city of Davis made the seller remove the sink. A flagstone surround, custom benches, and 59 drains for clearing rainwater. In addition to a beautiful in-ground pool, offering year-round summer fun!
3804 Los Cerros Place, Davis, CA 95618 is presently pending. Interested in selling a home in Davis? Elizabeth Weintraub can sell your house, too. Call 916.233.6759.
New Listing at Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis Features Showcase Yard
Rumor has it that many residents of Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis work at the University of Davis or UC Davis Health Center. I don’t know if that rumor is true but I do know my new listing at Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis is the only home for sale in that neighborhood. Inventory is so slim in that ZIP code, too. There are only 8 listings for sale in 95816. And one of the reasons for such low inventory is sellers can’t find a move up home, so they aren’t selling.
Which, fortunately, is not a problem for our set of sellers. A buyer will not encounter any contingencies from the sellers. In fact, we could close escrow in 7 to 10 days for a cash buyer. If you need to move to Davis, you should check out this home in Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis. You know you want the Davis school system because everybody does. Many people buy homes in Davis because it’s more cost effective to pay a bit more to live in Davis than send your kids to a private boarding school. Korematsu, Pioneer and Birch Lane elementary schools serve Lake Alhambra Estates. Harper Junior High is at the eastern edge, and Davis Senior High and DaVinci serves grades 10-12. HOA dues are $118 quarterly.
In case you’re wondering, there is a lake in Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis, populated with biking trails, pathways, and wildlife where you can fish and release. But you’ll probably spend more time at home in the beautiful yard. The seller says they invested more than $200,000 remodeling the yard. You get a gorgeous pool that has newer gunite with pebble / glass and a spa. For more details, the yard features 59 drains, rock formations, an outdoor kitchen, slide, 2 waterfalls, built-in fire pit. There is also a custom masonry stone bench, adjacent to a built-in planter and matching ledge-stone benches.
When the weather seems too hot be outside, immediately adjacent to the pool is a place to retreat: a four-season room, complete with its own HVAC unit and recessed lights. The televisions can stay as well if you ask for them in the purchase contract. The solar-heated pool also features a swim-up bar, and the outdoor kitchen includes a Fire Magic gas grill, refrigerator, sink, matching ledge stone and leathered granite counter. Not to mention, all of the plumbing to the spa has been replaced.
This is a big house for the money, more than 3,500 square feet, according to the Yolo County Assessor. You will find 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a first-floor office that features a wall of cherry cabinets with desks. In the photo above you can see the formal dining room, which draws the eye to the boxed ceiling. It is located right off the kitchen and near the family room with a spectacular cherry-wood mantel over the fireplace.
Many homes in Lake Alhambra Estates in Davis have been remodeled. This home also features updates but it is not an over-the-top remodel. Check out this custom designed kitchen remodel: raised panel “soft touch” cabinets with lazy susans, a 5-burner Jenn-Air gas cooktop, and travertine floor. All the appliances can stay.
The sellers have babied this home like no tomorrow, fussing over every little detail. You will find wood floors and Hunter Douglas plantation shutters throughout, and lots of little surprises like a jetted tub in the master suite. In the yard: a new irrigation system and underground watering for the trees. The house has Eagle Shield insulation, window sunsreens, two remote solar-powered attic fans, and a newer $30,000 HVAC.
Come to our open house on Sunday and check out this home in Lake Alhambra Estates yourself. Open from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and hosted by the incredible Barbara Dow from the Elizabeth Weintraub Team. If you can’t wait until Sunday, you can view the virtual tour and then call us for your own private tour at 916.761.7398.
3804 Los Cerros Place, Davis, CA 95618, is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $1,145,000.
The information in this advertisement, including, but not limited to, square footage and/or acreage, has been provided by various sources which may include the Seller, the Multiple Listing Service or other sources. Lyon Real Estate has not and will not investigate or verify the accuracy of this information. Prospective buyers are advised to conduct their own investigation of the Property and this advertised information utilizing appropriate professionals before purchasing this Property.
